Well Deserved
by Quelle Surprise
Summary: When work-obsessed James Potter is forced to take a year long vacation, he is left to ponder what to do with his twelve months of freedom. His question is answered when he gets re-aquainted with sweet, simple, small town Lily Evans.
1. Default Chapter

Well Deserved  
  
Prologue  
  
"Yes, I understand, Sir. It's only for a year, right?" The young man asked the disembodied head, floating in his fire place, "You know how much I love my work Albus, you know that, don't you?"  
  
The headmaster sighed exasperatedly and rubbed his temples, "Of course I do, Mr. Potter. I'm reminded of that every time I see those horrid purple bags under your eyes, the ones that can only be caused from a simple task like grading papers, which turned into an all night work session.  
  
"James, I have known you since before you were born, and I don't think I have ever met a more dedicated and hard-working individual than yourself. I was astonished that you were a Gryffindor and not a Hufflepuff. But, then again, you possess the finest qualities of every house, and that has made you one of the most amazing people I could ever hope to meet in my life time.  
  
"My boy, you deserve this break, and everything shall be attended to. Severus will take over your Deputy Headmaster duties, and Johan Quirrell will be substituting your Defense Against the Dark Arts position. You're twenty-one James, and you are only young once, believe me I know. Now go, spend time with your friends, go on a vacation, do something. Go find some one, you deserve some one. And any girl will be more than lucky to have you.  
  
"I must leave now, for I am afraid this speech has become much longer then intended and the position in which I am standing is not one of great comfort. Good-bye, James, see you next year. And don't forget, have fun." And with that, Hogwarts' Headmaster disappeared from James Potter fireplace, leaving the young man to think about what he was to do with the vacation that had unwillingly been forced upon him.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Lily Evans sighed dejectedly as she continued to dust one of the many mismatched lamps in her father's bed and breakfast. Just yesterday they had received a reservation for their small B&B in Laurenn, a tiny city in south Scotland.  
  
"A young man from England," Sean Evans explained to her, "He sounded about your age. After this costumer, love, I think we may be able to afford to get you out of this hell hole forever."  
  
"Hell hole, Father?" Lily asked, "Is that what you think of this beautiful town?" Lily flipped her long red mane and sauntered towards the window, admiring the breath-taking rocky landscape, and the glimmering lake that were so visible from their cabin atop the mountain, "I enjoy my life here, I have you, William, the bed and breakfast, what more could I want?"  
  
"Lily dearest, you know your younger brother and I love you, but you deserve so much more than this. Please, at least consider going to England, or even just to Glasgow, there is nothing left for you here-"  
  
"Except everything, Father, except everything," Lily interjected.  
  
Sean looked at his daughter, and then around the room, until he rested his gaze on the antique grandfather clock, which stood against the far wall. His eyes grew big like saucers; it was already a quarter after eleven, "Lily! Quickly finish up your dusting then head into town; I need you to pick up the noodles for dinner. But make sure you don't come back until after half past, they requested that the living room be empty when he arrived. Strange request, but, the costumer is always right, remember that, Sweetheart."  
  
"Yes, Father." Lily tore her eyes away from the window, grabbed a shawl and headed into town. She ventured down the mountain side and into the minute marketplace of Laurenn. Plastering a sweet smile on her face, she waved to everyone, and quietly entered the grocer's.  
  
"'Lo, Miss Evans, what brings you here today?" The man behind the counter asked.  
  
"Good morning to you, John. My father sent me down to pick up some noodles for supper. Would you mind pointing out the isle for me? You know I have a memory like a sieve." Lily said and they laughed slightly.  
  
"Oh, none of that Lily. Let me grab them for you and then you can be on your merry little way. I hear you have a big tenant coming in, staying for a month, isn't he?" Mr. Fergusson asked as he slipped from out from behind the counter and down to where the noodles were.  
  
"I believe so, yes. Thank-you," she said as he handed her the package of spaghetti noodles, "Just put it on my father's bill, please. I seem to have left my purse at home in my haste."  
  
"Quite alright, Miss, will do. Now go on, maybe this lad will be your ticket out of here!" Lily smiled weakly, and walked out the door, was this whole town trying to get her to leave?  
  
When she returned, she read the wall clock in the front entrance. It was quarter to twelve. She hung up her shawl and walked towards the living room, she could here people talking and laughing jovially, she assumed he had arrived. "More tea, Mr. Potter," she heard her father ask. Potter. where had she heard that name before.  
  
"Yes please, sir. And call me James." She stopped dead in her tracks. There, sitting on her chesterfield, talking with her father and William, was the familiar figure of former Head-boy, James Potter. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
"Hey, look, Dad! Lily's back," William said to Sean and James, a finger pointed at the door where his sister stood, mouth agape. The package of noodles that Lily had held in her hand slipped through her limp fingers and fell to the floor. The noise seemed to wake the girl from her silent reverie, and she hastily bent down to gather the dinner.  
  
"Good morning, Master Potter," Lily said politely, trying to act like he was just any other tenant, "Welcome to the Laurenn Bed and Breakfast. I trust you'll enjoy your stay here. But if you'll excuse me, I must attend to luncheon." She gave him a nod of greeting and hurried off through a door to her left, presumably the kitchen.  
  
James managed a weak wave in Lily's direction, she looked so familiar, yet he couldn't quite place her, and that unnerved him. But what surprised him most is how clichéd she was. There she had stood a beautiful, gorgeous, small town girl, with small town values. She lived with her family, and from what he could gather, took care of all of them. It was like those fairy tales he had read in muggle studies class once. His thoughts were interrupted as Mr. what was his name. Began to speak.  
  
"Ah, yes. That's my daughter, Lily, quite a beauty ain't she? You're not the first man who has eyed her." Mr. Evans, that was it, Evans explained to him.  
  
"I'm not going to lie to you, sir. She is stunning. And charmingly polite, I could only imagine how many beaus she has attracted."  
  
She could here them in there, muffled as they were. They sat there, talking about her and the undying, classic beauty she possessed. She had heard it too many times. It was the same thing; Father talked her up to any eligible man that would come to stay. But every time, one thing was missing. Magic.  
  
That is what Lily called love. She had dubbed it magic, just because of the way 'love' was used as of late. She had seen the twelve year olds of Laurenn, walking around, holding hands, having 'relationships'. They would say, 'I love you' without knowing to any extent what it actually meant. Of course Lily wouldn't go up to her husband (when she found one that is) and say 'I magic you'. But, in her head, she called it magic.  
  
As soon as Lily had taken the bread out of the oven, where it had been cozily toasting, she added the contents of the submarine sandwiches to pieces and put an olive toothpick in each top half. She took her chef's knife and neatly cut each hoagie at slight angle for aesthetic purposes. Lily sighed and took a step back to admire her handy work before wiping her hands on her apron. Upon entering the living room, she announced lunch would soon be served in the dining room, and left to pour the drinks. She bustled about the kitchen, icing the tea and adding a dash of lemon and a pinch of cinnamon, her special ingredient, which made Evans' Iced Tea the favourite summer beverage of the Laurenn children and adults alike.  
  
On a tray she brought out the drinks to where they were now seated around the dining table, much as a restaurant waitress would. Her father gave her a nod of recognition, and William gave her his thanks.  
  
James smiled at her, graciously accepting the glass, "Do you need any help, Lily?"  
  
Lily was just turning around to go back into the kitchen to grab the sandwiches and her now empty tray clattered to the floor. She disregarded James' comment and quickly snatched the platter back up. The redhead then continued into the other room as though she hadn't heard anything.  
  
"What was that?" Sean asked his tone of voice was sniffing outrage, staring pointedly at the young man.  
  
James looked around the room bewilderedly, "What are you referring to?" he inquired as William stared at him, looking much as James felt.  
  
"Asking Lily if she needed help. She's the woman here, it's her place to cook and clean. You will see that my daughter knows those rules very well. She never speaks unless spoken to and is always polite." James assumed Lily was not the only one with old-fashioned values, "Don't look at me like that! With that expression on your face like I don't love my own offspring! I love that girl more than life itself, and I want to get her out of this nowhere town to where she deserves to be. But while she is here, it is her duty to do household chores."  
  
"I-I'm sorry sir. I." James started, but he never got the chance to complete his sentence as Mr. Evans had interjected.  
  
"Oh, Mr. Potter, forgive me! Here I am, berating you, and you are the one who is going to be putting food on my table! I am the one who is sorry!"  
  
"Quite alright, really, Mr. Evans. Don't worry about it." James said, half dazedly. Right at that moment, Lily came in carrying the subs on the same platter. She stopped at each place, putting a sandwich down. James looked up at the young girl, no wonder she was so polite. When Lily took her seat, they all settled down for a meal full of pleasant company and conversation, Sean's haranguing lay forgotten.  
  
Lily, who had been very quite in the first place, stopped talking all together when the topic of conversation landed on her.  
  
"My Lily was Head girl and at the top of her classes when she was at school, you know?" Sean Evans paused, taking a slight sip of his iced tea, "As soon as we get enough money, she's going to study to become a medi- witch."  
  
James, who followed Mr. Evans' suit and had taken a substantial gulp of his drink, promptly spit it back into his glass, "Beg pardon, sir?"  
  
"He said I wanted to immerse in medical studies," Lily replied hastily, giving her father a death glare, "Well then, if everyone is finished, I'll just clear the table." And that was the last James had seen of Lily until late that night. 


End file.
